Colorado's streak busting win in DC last year was fairly impressive, but their subsequent loss at home to the fellow streak busting DC United was most certainly not. Colorado has come out strong this year and has looked like a Supporters Shield caliber team and beating lesser teams like DC - improved as they may be this season - will be vital in keeping them in the race for the title or the shield.
DC United's new offense is being led pretty much exclusively by early golden boot cantidate Charlie Davies. The US national team player has shown MLS that his skills have not declined as was once feared, even taking a couple of penalty kicks - not usually his specialty - for DC and converting the both of them. They have some other tough players like Josh Wolff and Andy Najar but Davies will undoubtebly be the focal point not just for this game but most likely for the entire season when people take a look at DC's roster. They will be without their center back Dejan Jackovic after he got red carded last week against the New England Revolution.
Colorado will most likely be at full strength for this one with both Conor Casey and Omar Cummings back from their respective leaves. This could be frightening for DC with their already somewhat weak defense weakened further. Quincy Amarikwa and Caleb Folan played fairly well last week against Chivas but it would be foolhardy to not say that the Cummings/Casey tangent is the biggest X factor for the striker-system based Rapids.
With a win today, Colorado can be 3-0 to start the season for the first time in the history of the franchise.
(Via Burgundy Wave)